January 5, 2015

"Make That 6."

James Taranto's headline for this pair of headlines:
“5 Worst Right-Wing Moments of the Week—Fox News Tells Women ‘How to Get a Husband’ ”—headline, Salon.com, Jan. 5

“How to Find a Feminist Boyfriend”—headline, Washington Post, Jan. 4
I've been ignoring that WaPo article for what seems like more than a day. The main thing the author seems to view as "feminist" is a woman asking a man out. Jeez, that's one of the most conventional women's magazine topics I've seen in my years of reading women's magazines, which is more than half a century (and includes a couple years where I had a job that included reading all the women's magazines — Ladies' Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, McCall's, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Women's Day, Family Circle, Redbook, Glamour, Mademoiselle, etc.). The second-to-main thing the author seems to view as "feminist" is a man's ability to show his feelings. My reaction is the same: This is an old, old, old women's magazine topic. There's just nothing particularly feminist about it it all. The article might as well be titled "How to Find a Boyfriend." So I agree with Taranto, the WaPo article is as right-wing as any other article about advising women on how to catch a man.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's more about Fox News than anything.

I think they have an anti Fox News quota that must be printed every X number of days.

Kind of like negative articles about the Koch brothers.

Doesn't have to make sense. Just needs to keep the meme alive.

tim in vermont said...

I like the part where the feminist boyfriend still picks up the check.

tim in vermont said...

Oh yeah, and any guy who wears a "I'm a feminist" T-Shirt, is just trying to get laid. So if you need a boyfriend who will treat you like a Kleenex, he would be a good choice.

Clayton Hennesey said...

In these heady days of machine sex, at least she's still looking for a mammal.

richlb said...

I miss reading Taranto everyday now that he's behind the "wall." Yeah, I know I can redirect from Google to get through, but it used to just be so automatic that I really just gave up.

MaxedOutMama said...

Can you tell us more about the job that required you to read all those magazines? Maybe they were better then - but my first reaction is that I'd rather flip burgers.

I'm very curious!!! Big sad dog eyes looking at you.

Anonymous said...

tim in vermont said...
... So if you need a boyfriend who will treat you like a Kleenex, he would be a good choice.

***********

Myself, I always liked the "sexual spittoon" image.

The Godfather said...

I've been married twice, both times to women with careers/jobs (I'm not sure what terminology is au courant). I thought they should be paid and treated the same as men. So I figured I was a feminist. Now I learn that to be a male feminist I have to hock my balls. Not quite so interested in being a feminist now.

I am not a robot.

bleh said...

Notice the amount of bragging the author accomplishes in the first sentence.

Brando said...

Never trust a man who calls himself a feminist. There's something creepy about those guys (yes, they want to get laid, as do all guys, but they seem more underhanded about it).

Pay more attention to how they treat women. They can identify as a retrograde traditionalist, but still be kind and respectful. The self professed "feminist" is really saying he thinks you'll fall for any line.

Michael K said...

"yes, feminists have boyfriends"

I complained to the WaPo about cisgender micro aggression.

Just kidding.

Jupiter said...

‘I find it really attractive how successful you are,” my date said, leaning in for a kiss.

This guy has a lot to learn about gold-digging.

Matt Sablan said...

"Or the one who asked, “Why do you work so much?” and “Why would you want to work even more?” when I was angling for a promotion."

-- I ask guys that sometimes too. One guy I see on the Metro sometimes brags about his 16 hour days.

Dude, when do you live?

Matt Sablan said...

"Can you define what you mean by “feminist,” please?"

-- That's a perfectly valid question. The same if someone asks me if I'm any X, I tend to want them to qualify what, exactly, X means to them. You'd be surprised that, when I get a clarification, how often I turn out not to be a conservative, for example!

chillblaine said...

The "cater to his needs" section is in dangerous proximity to mansplaining why women should submit to men's needs.

I'm old enough to remember when feminism was referred to as 'women's liberation.'

chillblaine said...

@tim in vermont said: "Oh yeah, and any guy who wears a "I'm a feminist" T-Shirt, is just trying to get laid"

Yes! Boys in feminism are just looking for the hookup.

I was toying with the idea of having a t-shirt made with the expression "Oppressor."

Laura said...

Fun with Feminist Journalism 101

1. The Odd Couple: How penis envy and penis attraction coexist without contradiction

2. Engineering Bicycles for Fish: Dealing with underwater rust, algae accumulation, and seemingly impossible ergonomics

3. Femufacturing Bicycles for Fish: Exchanging mettle for metal and patience for plastic

4. Confronting Gender Division for Feminist and Same-sex Couples: Negotiating salaries for mannies while preventing bidding wars in a tight market

5. Our Bodies, Ourselves: Coping with the betrayal and complicity of errant eggs allying with undesirable sperm

6. Femsplaining the Habitation Paradox: Why self-defense training is appropriate for homeless women, not pageant contestants and college students

7. 50 Sheets of Black and White, or Coitus Compliance: Reproducible (and revocable) consent forms for granting permission in various heteronormative sexual acts

9. Feminist Fashion Faux Pas: Why rapists buy more neckties with feminist messages than T-shirts